Last week on FYFA (and in my life):
I started the Couch to 5K program because my husband wants the whole family to run a 5K later this summer. Running is so not my thing – I’d much rather just stick to the elliptical – but I will say that listening to audiobooks while running makes it much more bearable – or running with my daughter, which I’ve done a couple of times. Plus, I’ve been taking my dog along with me, so that makes it more enjoyable somehow too. For now, the runs are easy (I’m only up to running a minute and a half at a time with walking in between) – we’ll see how I feel once it gets harder!!
My kids and I watched the new Jungle Book movie, which was great fun – might do a post sometime comparing it to the original. We also started watching an anime called Blue Spring Tide (thanks Mara for the recommendation). We’re all really loving it (though the anime style is definitely different and a bit goofy to me sometimes. Very entertaining, though!). Might do a post about that at some point too!
Here’s what you may have missed on the blog this past week:
- The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout – 5 Star Review
- Wanderlost by Jen Malone – Review
- Winging It by Cate Cameron – Review
- Fun with Spam – Let’s Discuss! – Bet you didn’t realize how entertaining spam could be!
Also, this isn’t actually on my blog, but the giveaway for the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up has been posted over at Falconer’s Library. Wendy’s giving away a bookish item from Powell’s Bookstore – and they have some really fun options!! (And, just so it’s clear, you don’t actually have to have linked up to the Wrap-Up Round-Up to participate in the giveaway.)
Next week on FYFA:
- The Clay Lion by Amalie Jahn – Review & Giveaway
- The Wrath and the Dawn and The Rose and the Dagger – Review
- Let’s Discuss – something bookish! 🙂
Book Blogger Birthdays and Blogoversaries:
A couple of blogger birthdays and blogoversaries this week! I hope you’ll stop on by these blogs and give the bloggers well-wishes on their special days! Also, check out the calendar to see what you might have just missed or what’s coming up. (If you want to be added to the calendar, you can just fill out the birthday/blogoversary form!)
- June 12th – Jordan @ The Heart of a Book Blogger‘s Birthday
- June 16th – booklovercircumspect4‘s Blogoversary
To Review:
Great Discussions/Goings On Around the Blogosphere:
Here are some of my favorite discussions I’ve read this week:
- Cynthia @ Bingeing on Books tells us the Signs of a Crusing TBR
- Susie @ Girl with Her Head in a Book discusses Sequels, and why they sometimes feel unnecessary.
- Got My Book tells us about why Good Audiobooks Make Everything Better
- Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews talks about Classroom Reads and what makes a book worth studying
- Cait @ Paper Fury asks Who is the Intended Audience for YA Books? (And Does it Even Matter?)
Other Current Giveaways on FYFA:
(Besides the ones listed above)
- June Discussion Challenge Link-Up and Giveaway! – Link up your June discussions and enter to win!
- #BEA16 Day One Wrap-Up & Giveaway!! – Still time to enter to win a signed copy of one of my favorite NA books – When Joss Met Matt!
- #BEA16 Day Two Wrap-Up & Jennifer Niven Holding Up the Universe Giveaway!! – Still time to enter to win a signed ARC of Holding Up the Universe!
- #BEA16 Day Three Wrap-Up & Giveaway!! – Still time to enter to win a copy of The Loose Ends List or a Strange the Dreamer swag pack that includes a sampler of the book!
Pre-Order Deals:
- Preorder Sarah J. Maas’s EMPIRE OF STORMS to receive a ToG notebook and/or preorder THE THRONE OF GLASS COLORING BOOK and get a ToG coloring pencils set!!
- Pre-order LIFE AFTER JULIET by Shannon Lee Alexander and get a temporary tattoo like Charlotte’s – a tattoo that blends the infinity symbol with the word hope.
- Preorder YOU WILL KNOW ME by Megan Abbott and Little, Brown Books will send you a free copy of one of her paperbacks!
- Pre-order THIS SAVAGE SONG by Victoria Schwab from either Parnassus Books or Books of Wonder and you’ll get a signed/personalized hardcover and a set of limited edition HUMAN/MONSTER tattoos! (This book is amazing, and you should all order it.)
- Pre-order DEFENDING TAYLOR by Miranda Kenneally and enter to WIN Defending Taylor water bottles or a GRAND PRIZE gym bag prize pack.
Even More Awesome Giveaways on Other Sites:
There are tons of giveaways going on around the blogosphere!
- Lots of blogs participating in the Debut Author #Giveaway Hop!
- Jessica @ A GREAT Read is giving away some of her BEA books that she’s already read!
- Jessica is also giving away a SIGNED Copy of The Last Star by Rick Yancey!
- Head over to Got My Book for a chance to win an audiobook of Nice Dragons Finish Last from Audible
- Karen @ Kissin’ Blue Karen wrote a BEA wrap-up and is giving away a pre-order of a book she picked up there and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight does the same!
- Tonyalee over at Lilybloombooks has created a Middle Grade Madness link-up. Link-up your reviews of middle grade books (or comment on linked reviews) and enter to win one! You can link up June reviews on this post.
- Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books is running the Meet the Newbies event where you can win 1 Pre-Order or Finished Copy of Any Debut Novel Featured on Meet the Newbies (INT) – Several of the tour stops also have individual giveaways as well!
Lots of good stuff! Have any giveaways or great discussions happening on your site right now? Feel free to share them in the comments!
Good luck with your running! I’ve considered doing a Couch to 5K program, but I’m really lazy. I don’t know how well I’d stick to it. 🙂
It’s taken me a long time to get an exercise program I’ll stick to. I’ve been doing the elliptical for quite some time now, which I do while I’m watching a show I enjoy (Up until recently, that was Once Upon a Time, but I caught up with the rest of the world on that one now). I ONLY watch the show when I’m doing the elliptical, so it helps motivate me – I want to see that next episode!
Hooray for the Couch to 5K program! I’ve been thinking about doing something like that, but then I realize that means running outside and since it’s hot and swampy here, that’s not all that appealing. I’ll stick to my daily(ish) 5K on the elliptical in my nicely air conditioned gym. I too have been listening to audiobooks while I run … or elliptical … whatever you want to call it. It’s amazing how much more quickly the time goes by.
I hope you have a nice week ahead!
Yes, I definitely prefer the elliptical, but I HAVE hit a bit of a plateau with my workouts lately, so it’s probably good to mix it up a bit (even if I am doing it grudgingly!). 🙂
Good luck training for the 5k. Love that you are doing it as a family! See you got P.S. I Like You – Can’t wait to see what you think!!! Have a great week!
I think the 5K will be fun – we did it once a few years ago as a family. My husband also ran a MARATHON that year, so I really couldn’t complain about running a few miles! 🙂
I’m a big fan of Kasie West, so I’m excited to read P.S. I Like You!
I might need to coerce my husband to start the Couch to 5K with me just because we hardly get out of the house these days and need to get up off the couch more often! It’s just too hot!
Have a great week and enjoy your books!
Yes, our couches see a LOT of us around here! Probably a good idea that we’re parting ways with it now and again. 🙂
The couch to 5K program is good! I did well the first two weeks but then my knee started acting up. Anyway, it’s good for the kids!
Yeah, I managed to do a 5K a few years ago, but the elliptical is so much nicer to my body.
Gah. i wish my foot is healed so I can start being active again. I think I’m going to try next week, though. I just need to slowly work my way to running.
Happy reading, Nicole.
Injuries can throw such a wrench into everything! It can be incredibly frustrating. (Plus, if you’re like me, it’s so easy to get out of the habit of being active and REALLY hard to get back into it!)
YAY for jogging and good luck on the Couch to 5k Program 😀 Gorgeous haul too^^ I still need to read Sin Eater’s Daughter but I’m curious what you’ll think of the sequel! Happy Sunday and happy reading ♥
I haven’t read the sequel yet, but my mom just did and she enjoyed it. It’s a completely different story than the first book (at least at first – I assume it eventually converged with the original story since the first book certainly didn’t wrap things up). She did say it’s obvious there will be a book three.
I never finished the Couch to 5k program, but I have run a couple 5ks. I actually enjoy running, it’s like moving meditation for me. Good Luck!
Well, I guess if you make the goal, it doesn’t matter if you complete the process! 🙂
Have fun with the family 5k that sounds like such a fun thing to do as a family! Thank goodness for audiobooks 🙂
Have a great week, Nicole! Happy Reading!
Yes, audiobooks make SO MANY things nicer!
Running is so not for me either, but that’s great that going for it and going to do the 5k as a family 🙂 And I can see how audio books might make it more bearable! Glad you enjoyed the Jungle Book movie, it does look visually gorgeous. And that Frost book looks VERY COOL. I’m definitely checking that out on Goodreads as soon as I finish this comment lol. Enjoy your books!
Got Frost on Edelweiss if you want to go request it. It looks really good to me. Jungle Book was really good – makes me want to read the classic the movies are based on so I can compare them all!
Good luck with the 5K! I need to get back to running… maybe. Eventually ha ha. And I definitely want to see the new Jungle Book movie- it looks really good.
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire has an amazing cover and so does Frost. Curious about both. Have a great week!
I didn’t think I’d do another 5K, but … we’ll see if I can work my way up to it! I loved Rosamund Hodge’s last two books, so I’m really looking forward to BSCF.
Running is not my thing, either. I never enjoyed running even as a kid. I have sublaxations in my knees, so it’s a less desirable activity. However, I wish I was more into running. I kind of like solitary activities, and I’d be able to listen to all these audiobooks I can’t find time for! Good luck with your 5K running! The new Jungle Book movie was very good. I noticed a few things I never knew compared to the Disney version and the 1993 version.
I didn’t remember that there was a 1993 version – now I’m really curious about that one. I’ll have to check it out!
I’m so not a runner either! I can walk and enjoy walking though! Much more leisurely! I was never very good at running with my medical issues as a kid. So I kind of blame that. Being told not to run hard as a kid basically made me into a slow runner! LOL! HATED doing those mile things or whatever they were called! My last one was in 9th grade and I still had my doctor’s note that basically got me through gym with as little participation as possible! Haha! Still enjoy a nice walk if the weather’s good!
Nice new reads too! SO can’t wait for Rosamund’s new book! I still need to read Crimson Bound! So behind with all my old releases and trying to keep up with this year’s and all the BEA books I still need to read, plus two tours that are upcoming! One of which I still need to receive the book so I can do my review post! Lol! So stressful! And people think reading isn’t an extreme sport! LOL! There’s so much more to being a reader than one would think! 😉
Have a great week!
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I had asthma as a kid, so I never ran either. In fact, I just ran my first full mile a couple of years ago when we did a 5K (my husband ran a marathon as well, so I could hardly complain!) Good luck with all that reading! It’s always stressful when you’re trying to get books read at the last minute.
WOW there is a ton of awesome stuff going on around the Blog Block this month! Giveaways galooooooore!
I’m going to have to go read over your review for The Problem with Forever–I just picked up a copy myself and am interested in seeing what you thought of it!
Here’s hoping next week is just as great for you, both reading-wise AND in real life! Happy book-ing to you!
This is actually a relatively short list of giveaways – some weeks I have TONS of them listed!! 🙂 Good luck!!
Running is SOOOO not my thing either! I’ve actually tried to pick up running several times, but each time I’ve tried, I’ve done awful things to my knees and hips. I just don’t think my body is cut out for it. This is why I’m a big fan of walking and walk A LOT. I love my treadmill desk.
I’m excited to hear about this anime you’ve been watching! Would love to read a post on that.
Have a great week!
Yeah, sometimes running can be really hard on your body. I don’t think I’ll make any sort of permanent switch to running, but I supposed I can manage it for the summer.
I think I will write a post on the anime. I’ve been trying to foster Jaden’s love of Japan as much as I can – turns out, the whole family is enjoying anime! (Well, not my husband so far – but romance isn’t really his thing, so maybe we’ll find another he’s more interested in.)
You got some really interesting looking books this week. I hope you enjoy the all. I can’t wait to read your review for The Wrath and the Dawn and The Rose and the Dagger, I haven’t read the second one yet. Everyone is raving about it.
I was NOT disappointed!! I read both books pretty much back-to-back (with one book in between, I think) and I actually liked the second one even a little better than the first.
Congrats on your running so far -I hope your whole family has a great 5k at the end of the summer. I’ve never been much of a runner. I’m just trying to focus on other ways to keep moving, without dying in the summer heat! LOL
-Lauren
Yeah, I doubt the running will last, but I can commit to it for long enough to do the Couch to 5K. 🙂
I’m useless at running. I did manage to get through the couch to 5k program once and even ran a charity 5k but stopped immediately afterwards. I’m just not suited for it, I don’t see the point of making myself all red in the face if I can get my exercise in ways that I find more pleasant. 🙂 I think some people are natural-born runners and I envy them but after years of trying I just sort of accepted this about myself.
I’m looking forward to reading Rosamund Hodge’s new book, I’ll be looking out for your review!
Have a nice week! 🙂
I am not a runner either. I tell my friends, if they see me running, know that danger is not far behind. Although my husband is trying to convince I need to do something to increase my lung capacity since being diagnosed with asthma. I just can’t get behind running.
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire is one that I’m very excited about! I still need to read the first book in Melinda Salisbury’s series as well. I tried a “walk to run” program about 10 years ago. But then I got shin splints so bad that I could barely walk normally. So now I just walk, and like you I love audiobooks when I’m walking. I wish I could run though. It would make my exercise go quicker! Have a great week! You can check out my Sunday Post in the link below!
That’s awesome that the whole family is doing the couch to 5k! And how fun you can listen to audio books while exercising! Wishing you and your family lots of luck!
I’ve been devoting more of my exercise time to one of Jillian’s more intense videos and love the results so far and the fact that I don’t feel like I want to die the whole time….. it’s been a hard 2 weeks ha. ?
Audiobooks, yay; running, boo. Thanks again for including me.
My Sunday Summary